Faithbase

Guys, I wish I could show you the lights behind the camera because it's a circle that is going green, fuchsia, red, purple, yellow, white. It's crazy. Anyway, plus this explosion of color behind me. My wife didn't want it upstairs because she thought that was hell. I think is the representation of creation. I like that better. By the way, let's talk about the topic for today. In the past couple of years, I covered the Christian roots of the Thanksgiving holiday, going back all the way to the pilgrims and the Puritans time. But this year, I would like to talk about thankfulness. Because as I look around, I see, well, let's say I see less of it going around. There is a Roman philosopher by the name of Cicero that said this, gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. Now, wait a minute, is gratitude and thankfulness the same thing? Let's take a quick look at it. When something good or exciting happens, we're prone to be thankful. That one gift that you receive or the happy news that causes that warm feeling inside of you. But like many feelings, eventually, it will fade away. And thankfulness is a temporary emotional response to a temporary circumstance. My clock is going off here. We have been raised to say thank you when something good is given to us or done to us. It is part of showing appreciation for others. And this can give us a positive attitude, but it is not enough to keep us in a positive mindset. As soon as the bad news or a setback appears, all of a sudden, the warm feeling disappears. So, if we want to maintain a positive attitude, we must rely on something else. And one practical way to do this, and I need to practice this myself because I don't do it often enough, is by expressing gratitude. If thankfulness is an emotion, gratitude is a choice, an attitude of appreciation under any circumstances. It involves being thankful, but it is more than that. Gratitude means expressing thankfulness and being appreciative of life daily, even when nothing exciting happens. When you're late to work or your coffee spills in the car, traffic is slower than usual, gratitude is that smile on your face when you reach your destination. Gratitude is your decision that the day is a good day, even when evidence points to the opposite. Just like the difference between happiness and joy. You don't need something good to happen to have gratitude. And when bad things happen, your gratitude is not altered. Now, John 16.33 says, in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. So, how can we be of good cheer? Well, realizing that he has overcome, and that we can find peace in him. And sometimes we wonder about God's will. You know, we ask for somebody to pray about it. We look for ourselves, and we don't seem to find it. Well, I got an answer for all of us. Again, in 1 Thessalonians 5.18, where it says, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. One of the greatest examples of this is Corrie Tambuma, her sister Betsy, who hid Jews during World War II, and then they were sent to a concentration camp in Ravensbruck. Now, you may recall their story in the book, The Hiding Place. Here is a little short blip. Shortly after arriving, Corrie is pestered by fleas, and cries out to her sister Betsy, how can we live in such a place? Ever the saint, Betsy prays the question to God, show us how. And Corrie recalls, it was said so smoothly, it took me a moment to realize she was praying. More and more, the distinction between prayer and the rest of life seemed to be vanishing for Betsy. Then Betsy excitedly rushes Corrie to reread their scripture passage for that morning. Convertly, Corrie draws out her contraband Bible and reads from 1 Thessalonians 5.18, give thanks in all circumstances. Interrupting her, Betsy demands that they start a litany of thanks. Although skeptical, Corrie follows her lead. Thank you, Jesus, that we are bound together, and that our Bible was not discovered during inspection. But when Betsy prays, thank you for the fleas, Corrie stops. This is too much, Betsy. There is no way even God can make me grateful for fleas. And Betsy emphatically insists, reminding her sister, give thanks in all circumstances. It doesn't say in pleasant circumstances. Fleas are part of this place where God has put us. So, weeks go by at the camp, and the sister were never busted for leading a clandestine Bible study. They could not believe that the guards never seemed to catch them. And actually, those guards never even entered their bunkhouse. And then, at one time, in a conversation between guards, Betsy overheard the reason why they stayed away. They stayed away because of the fleas. So, this story is a beautiful example of practicing gratitude, even in the midst of a harsh trial. And these sisters did not ask for the removal of the hardship, but they offered thanksgiving because they trusted in God's sovereignty. Gratitude is our response, our heart's response to grace. A recent study from UC Berkeley states this. Gratitude may be associated with better physical and psychological health, increased happiness and life satisfaction, decreased materialism, and much more. So, gratitude is about being content physically and mentally with the state of your life. You may not always be happy, but you can still practice gratitude. Conversely, a proud person is seldom a grateful one, for he often thinks that he does not get as much as he deserves. If you want to live an overflowing life rather than an overwhelmed life, then stop complaining and start being grateful. So, this season, take inventory of the grace the Lord has bestowed upon you and be grateful. Remember, you are in control of your attitude. So, make it a grateful one. Thank you for listening. See, I'm thankful. Thank you for listening, and I'll catch you guys next week. Happy Thanksgiving. Ciao.